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Developing story
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., announced on Nov. 4 that he will run for speaker of the House after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Final House results are not yet known, with dozens of races still too close to call.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., announced on Nov. 4 that he is running for speaker of the House in the next Congress, according to the Washington Examiner and Fox News.
He made the announcement one day after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The Washington Examiner reported he is aiming to become the first Black speaker in congressional history.
Jeffries spoke to reporters at a press conference alongside his top deputies. They were Rep. Katherine Clark, a Massachusetts Democrat and the minority whip, and Rep. Pete Aguilar, a California Democrat who chairs the Democratic Caucus. According to Fox News, Clark and Aguilar signaled they will seek the No. 2 and No. 3 leadership posts.
In a letter to House Democrats, Jeffries asked for their support, writing that he “humbly” requests it. Fox News reported he pledged to look for bipartisan common ground on affordability where possible.
The letter also faulted President Donald Trump and House Republicans over costs, according to Fox News. Jeffries described the executive branch as “out-of-control” and said the House would serve as a check on it.
Fox News reported that Jeffries suggested Democrats would try to reverse Republican Medicaid cuts, renew expanded Obamacare tax credits that lapsed at the start of the year, and end the war in Iran.
Seat count not final
Fox News reported that projections gave Democrats 237 seats and Republicans 139. Another 59 races were too close to call.
Jeffries told reporters he expects Democrats to hold 255 or more seats next year, according to Fox News.
House Democrats are scheduled to hold leadership elections in mid-December, Fox News reported. On the Republican side, Fox reported that Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana are both set to compete for minority leader.
This story is developing and will be updated.
Sources
What it means for you
- If the mid-December Democratic leadership elections go as Jeffries hopes, the party’s choice for speaker could be settled that month.
- If the 59 undecided races, as reported by Fox News, break heavily one way, the final House margin could look very different from current projections.
- If Jeffries follows through on his stated goals on Medicaid, expired Obamacare tax credits and the Iran war, those issues could drive fights in the next Congress.
- If Jordan or Scalise wins the Republican leadership vote, that person would lead the GOP as the minority party, according to Fox News.